Fiona Callow

Doncaster motocross champion Lauren Collingwood has established Girls That Moto, an all-girl training academy aimed at encouraging more female participation in the traditionally male-dominated sport. Drawing on more than 20 years of racing experience, she coaches riders from age five through adulthood across the UK, including at Fatcat Moto Parc in Hatfield. Young riders say her example and coaching have improved their confidence and helped challenge gender stereotypes, while Collingwood hopes to develop a future British champion.

Andrew Fowler, 60, has been charged with murdering a 62-year-old Sheffield man whose body was found at a property on George Street in Worsborough Bridge, Barnsley. Police began investigating after the man was reported missing and later found his body the same evening. Fowler has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at Barnsley Magistrates’ Court. South Yorkshire Police has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct because the victim had previously been reported missing.

The swim leg of the Ironman Leeds triathlon has been cancelled after tests found blue-green algae levels in Waterloo Lake, Roundhay Park, significantly exceeded the safe-swimming threshold. Organizers attributed the bloom to recent hot weather and said the decision followed advice from the UK Health Security Agency Environmental Hazards Team and consultation with Leeds City Council. The event will proceed as a bike-run competition, featuring a 112-mile ride through the Yorkshire Dales and a 26.2-mile run, with a later rolling bike start and road closures remaining in place.

Four golfers from Yorkshire are part of England’s 24-member squad competing at the World Deaf Golf Championships in Löddeköpinge, Sweden. Brian Robinson, 68, says representing his country is a lifelong dream, while Donna Serridge-Cross and Charlotte Dixon describe the challenges and community of competing as deaf golfers. Players must meet hearing-loss criteria and compete without hearing aids or external cochlear-implant equipment. England Deaf Golf says the tournament can challenge perceptions of deaf athletes and encourage golf clubs to become more accessible and inclusive.

Three Yorkshire deaf golfers—Brian Robinson, Donna Serridge-Cross and Charlotte Dixon—are representing England at the World Deaf Golf Championships in Sweden. Robinson, aged 68, said his selection showed that age should not limit people’s ambitions, while Serridge-Cross described the practical challenges of playing without hearing aids and Dixon highlighted the welcoming communication and community fostered by deaf golf. England Deaf Golf says the championships are the sport’s international pinnacle and hopes the team will challenge perceptions of deaf athletes and encourage golf clubs to become more accessible and inclusive.

A roundup of uplifting stories from Yorkshire features specialist HIV nurse Simon Corcos retiring after 36 years, community Play Streets giving children in Leeds safe spaces to play, Bridlington’s summer “Bridmas Day” celebrations, a five-year-old recovering from a bone marrow transplant through kickboxing, and Ronnie the cat being rescued from the Leeds Liverpool Canal.

Twelve West Yorkshire fire crews attended a fire at a waste management centre on Valley Farm Road in Stourton, Leeds, at about 00:43 BST on Saturday. Six crews and two aerial appliances remained at the scene into the afternoon. Residents were advised to avoid the area and keep doors and windows closed because of smoke.

A roundup of feel-good stories from Yorkshire highlights nine-year-old Oliver Smith meeting Spider-Man stars Tom Holland and Zendaya after raising £16,000 for The Brain Tumour Charity, a Barnsley walking group supporting bereaved women, and an international Kate Bush tribute event in Haworth. It also covers former Heartbeat actor Tricia Penrose becoming co-owner of the pub used as the show's Aidensfield Arms and Peter Kay's forthcoming charity performances in Hull, which local comedy organizers say will raise the city's profile.

Two men, aged 49 and 31, were arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent after a fight in Greengates, Bradford. Police attended New Line shortly after 22:00 BST on Friday, and the seriously injured victim was taken to Leeds General Infirmary. West Yorkshire Police said enquiries are ongoing and appealed for information.

Thousands of fans gathered in Haworth and elsewhere around the UK and internationally to recreate Kate Bush’s dance from her 1978 song “Wuthering Heights,” inspired by Emily Brontë’s novel. The West Yorkshire Mass Wuther sold out 500 tickets in 90 seconds, attracting participants from Australia, Canada, the United States and Norway despite wet weather. Similar events took place in Folkestone, Bristol and Clevedon, with proceeds supporting charities including Women’s Aid and organisations connected to Brontë Country.

A roundup of uplifting stories from Yorkshire features Mr Motivator leading a chair-based exercise session for Huddersfield care home residents, Bradford twins Adrian and Ainsley Dondo graduating with matching biomedical science degrees, and Stuart Lambert pulling a 64-tonne train. It also highlights an underground farm being developed 1.1km below the surface in North Yorkshire to explore low-energy sustainable food production, and a bright pink Sheffield bench designed to encourage conversations and combat loneliness.

An elderly man in his 80s died at the scene after falling from a green Trek electric bicycle on Lock Lane in Altofts near the Aire and Calder Navigation. West Yorkshire Police said the incident occurred at about 11:55 BST on Friday as he travelled towards Castleford and appealed for witnesses to come forward.

A Bradford woman, Anita Kaur, will model at the New York Fashion Awards after winning the Ms Empress Asia UK Pageant’s 46–60 age category and Role Model of the Year. Encouraged by family, friends and the pageant director, she overcame initial hesitation and now prepares to walk Runway Seven for the brand Randhawa, created by designer Amna Inam. She describes the opportunity as surreal and is focused on getting ready for the September event.

A paddling pool at Borrage Green in Ripon has reopened for the summer holidays following maintenance that delayed its planned May opening. North Yorkshire Council reported that repairs included repainting and drainage checks, with the Harrogate pool already open and the Knaresborough site nearing completion. Officials thanked the public for their patience as families begin using the facilities in the good weather.

A 14-year-old aspiring footballer from York with congenital melanocytic naevus earned a role in CBBC’s Jamie Johnson FC, with his family and a CMN charity praising the positive representation his appearance brings. Though his part is non-speaking, it helped build his confidence while he continues pursuing football training and opportunities, including work with Leeds United’s coach and selection for a tournament in Sweden. His parents and charity leaders emphasised that his condition does not define him and that visibility can help reshape perceptions of visible differences.

A York teenager with congenital melanocytic naevus has earned a role in CBBC’s Jamie Johnson FC, receiving praise from family and advocates for representation of visible differences. Ethan, a young footballer training with Leeds United coach Callum McKenzie, was selected for the show while with York City FC Academy. His non‑speaking role provided visibility for young people with CMN, highlighted by the charity Caring Matters Now. The experience boosted his confidence as he continues pursuing football, including international opportunities with PYE Elite in Sweden.

A series of uplifting stories from Yorkshire highlights a Mod‑loving teen escorted to prom by a large scooter convoy, a former professional footballer who transitioned into a school leadership role, and a nurse retiring after 55 years of NHS service. Additional features include a former rugby player running 100 ultramarathons in 100 days to raise funds for brain injury charities and reflections from participants in Hull’s 2016 blue‑paint art installation.

New draft guidance from NICE recommends making two non-invasive endometriosis tests available through GPs in England and Wales to speed up diagnosis. Support groups welcome the move but warn that limited specialist availability and long waits could undermine benefits. Patients and advocates highlight persistent gaps in understanding, uneven service provision and long diagnostic delays. A GP notes the tests could help determine which patients should be fast-tracked to specialist care, potentially reducing years of misdiagnosis and untreated symptoms.

A new memorial wheel and plaque have been installed in Rectory Park to honour 199 victims of mining disasters at Thornhill Colliery between 1870 and 1972, including major tragedies in 1893 and 1947. Organised by the Thornhill Community Mining Memorial Group, the dedication ceremony featured local clergy and community members, with tributes highlighting the historical impact on families and the village. Former miners and residents reflected on the personal significance of the names commemorated.

A juvenile greylag goose was found at North Yorkshire Water Park with a crossbow bolt through its neck in what rescuers describe as deliberate animal cruelty. Yorkshire Swan and Wildlife Rescue is treating the bird and expressed shock at the severity of the injuries. North Yorkshire Police is investigating, while park management said they are helping authorities and do not tolerate wildlife abuse. The goose remains under care as it recovers.

Ripon Museum Trust has applied for permission from North Yorkshire Council to reopen and restore the long‑inaccessible cellar of the Grade II listed Ripon Workhouse Museum. The proposal includes reinstating a staircase, removing infill, repairing a deteriorating steel beam, and carrying out conservation work to prepare the space for public use. The cellar retains original Victorian features linked to the building’s workhouse history. The project follows a recent £2.5m National Lottery grant used to repair the museum’s roof and other structural issues.

A series of uplifting local stories highlights long-serving NHS cleaner Pat Russell retiring after 57 years, two Bradford men praised for rescuing a family from a fire, and St Leonard's Hospice in York achieving a full set of cuddle beds through community fundraising. Leeds Hunters Rugby launches a bid to host the LGBTQ+ Bingham Cup in 2028, and a community library in Anlaby Park is credited with bringing four couples together, reinforcing its role as a welcoming social space.

Authorities launched an investigation after several thousand tonnes of waste were found at an illegal tip on Midland Road in Bradford. The Environment Agency, working with local council and emergency services, is assessing environmental impacts and attempting to identify those responsible and secure the site. The public is urged to provide any relevant information, and officials remind residents to use registered waste contractors and monitor vacant land for illegal activity.

A family in Ripon faces a no‑fault eviction issued two days before such notices were banned under the Renters' Rights Act, prompting a petition with over 33,000 signatures urging reversal. Mother‑of‑four Linsey Reeves says the family has nowhere to move and feels destabilised, while community supporters including former mayor John Richmond argue the eviction is unjust. The Holy Trinity Properties Trust says decisions follow advice from its letting agents Linley and Simpson, who state they act on client instruction. The situation has drawn widespread local support as the family approaches the end of their notice period.